Valerio Sannicandro was born in Italy (*1971), but relatively soon he moved to Germany where he turned his attention more and more to contemporary music: he studied composition in Cologne with York Höller (dissertation: “Komposition als semiotischer Prozess”), in Frankfurt with Hans Zender and conducting with Peter Eötvös.

Appearances as conductor in Cologne (Triennale Köln, WDR-Orchestra), Darmstadt (Ferienkurse), Spain (Festival de Canaria) and Avignon (Centre Acanthes), conducting works by Karlheinz Stockhausen (first performance of “Hoch-Zeiten”) Varese, Carter, Grisey, Fedele and Donatoni, among others.